Can you honestly see flybe placing a firm order for any new aircraft type, or any aircraft manufacturer taking them seriously, when the company is very publicly up for sale and the current owners are trying their hardest to offload their responsibilities.
If I was a manufacturer and JF came to me saying he would like to buy 15 new aircraft, but before we take ownership of said aircraft we are selling the company and we have no idea what the wishes of the future owners are, I would not take them seriously.
Sounds to me it is more propaganda from Exeter to keep the troops sweet and any announcement will be pure wishful thinking.